A group of friends who like to run took part in the Cape Town, South Africa, marathon, but they were doing more than just running. The group ran the race with tree saplings tied to their backs. Their purpose was to raise awareness about the country’s problem with invasive species, which are taking over indigenous plants. One of the runners, Siyabulela Sokomani, ran with a wild olive sapling, and he sports tattoos of his favorite trees. He and his fellow runners support the nationwide effort to plant trees and rid the country of the damaging species.

Posted in Everybody's Talking